In 2003, Billy Currington released “Walk A Little Straighter” as his debut single off his self-titled album. 

The song peaked at No. 8 on Billboard’s Hot Country Songs chart. It was also a minor crossover hit, reaching No. 67 on Billboard Hot 100. 

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But what’s even more important is that the song gave Currington instant prominence and helped him land a guest appearance at the Grand Ole Opry – where he performed the emotional, traditional-leaning ballad just a few days after its release to the country radio.

Since then, he has become one of the genre’s most consistent hitmakers – hitting No. 1 a total of eleven times.

How Having An Alcoholic Parent Can Affect A Child

One mistaken belief that most people who deal with alcoholism is that their drinking does not affect anyone else. Of course, that’s not true! Unfortunately, children can be among those most impacted.

Written by Billy Currington along with Casey Beathard and Carson Chamberlain, “Walk a Little Straighter” tells the story of a young man who was raised by an alcoholic father and details how his dad’s drinking has impacted his life.

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He remembered how he would wait for him to come home, only to welcome him drunk, passing out in his chair. He also recalled how ashamed he was when his father stumbled in the gym during his graduation day – even before his name was called. More so, he was no longer surprised when he didn’t stay for a little while.

Still, he loves this old man, and he values the very special lesson he learned from him – and that’s never to let his own kids experience what he went through. “Yeah, walk a little straighter, Daddy. You’re leading me,” the song goes.

You can listen to “Walk a Little Straighter” by Billy Currington in the video below.